Business

New private school launching in South Africa

Malcolm Libera

 ·24 Aug 2026

Private school group Advtech is redeveloping its old Vega Bordeaux site into an Abbotts High School, which is scheduled to open in January 2027.

The new school, which will be known as Abbotts High School Bordeaux, forms part of Advtech’s strategy to make better use of its existing properties while expanding its mainstream academic schools in areas where demand remains strong.

Advtech said in its interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2026 that the redevelopment represents a shift in how the group uses its real estate assets.

“The old Vega Bordeaux site is being redeveloped into an Abbotts High School, opening in January 2027,” the group said.

The project will allow Advtech to repurpose a property previously used for tertiary education while increasing the capacity of its school portfolio.

The move also forms part of a broader strategy to simplify the group’s collection of education brands and concentrate them under a smaller number of established names.

Marion Kohler, principal of Abbotts High School, Bordeaux, said the new school would focus on academic achievement, structured support, and preparing learners for further study and employment.

“Abbotts High School Bordeaux is an exciting addition to the Abbotts family—a school built on strong academic foundations, innovative thinking, and a commitment to developing confident, capable young adults ready to thrive in a rapidly changing world,” she said.

Kohler said the school would cater for families seeking a structured academic environment and would draw on her 21 years of experience in education, including five years leading Abbotts High School Johannesburg South.

“When expectations are high, guidance is expert, and every student is known… excellence becomes attainable,” she said.

Abbotts Bordeaux will follow the Independent Examinations Board (IEB) curriculum, with teaching covering languages, mathematics, sciences and humanities.

The school will have modern classrooms, digital learning resources and specialist facilities intended to support practical and technology-focused education.

These facilities will include science laboratories, a STEAM laboratory, computer resources, a library and research areas.

Major brand consolidations

The school will also provide facilities for arts and cultural activities, including art, drama and performances.

Learners will have access to field trips, educational excursions and social activities, while the school will offer programmes aimed at supporting personal development and leadership.

The school has said it will not offer formal sports, although informal sporting activities and physical recreation areas will be available.

The new Bordeaux campus comes as Advtech continues to consolidate its South African schools portfolio.

From January 2027, Southdowns College will be aligned with Crawford International, while Tygervalley College and Glenwood House School will move under the Trinityhouse brand. 

Pecanwood College and Greenwood Bay College will be aligned with Pinnacle Colleges.

The changes are intended to reduce the number of individual school brands within the group and create greater scale across marketing, operations and academic systems.

This process has also resulted in the Charterhouse brand being phased out. Advtech recorded a R9.5 million impairment against the brand value of Charterhouse following its strategic repositioning under the Pinnacle Colleges brand.

Despite only modest organic growth in South African enrolments, Advtech’s schools division has continued to perform strongly. Student numbers increased from 34,093 in February 2025 to 34,569 in February 2026, representing a growth of about 1%.

The South African schools division nevertheless recorded an 8% increase in revenue and a 9% rise in operating profit during the six months. Its operating margin increased to 20.9%.